Plasterboard onto uneven lathes

[Migue]

While in the process of putting in my new bathroom it was decided that one of the walls was in too bad a shape to leave it as it were. Its a lathe and plaster wall (the rest are plasterboard following a conversion some 15 years ago).

After speaking to a few people I decided that i was going to attach the plasterboard directly on top of the lathe's. Removing the plaster was not as bad as some people have said it would be, however the problem i have is that the lathe's are extremely uneven and of quite a few different thicknesses. In some parts, where the laths 'meet' at the joists, laths have been nailed onto laths!

does anyone have experience of doing this, what was the end result like?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Miguel

[Styx]

Why not just remove the lathes? What reasoning do you have for wanting to keep them?

Styx

[Chris Bacon]

Pull the lath off too. It's not doing anything useful without plaster on it.

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

So remove them then.

[John Rumm]

If you were going to do that, you would have found it simpler if you had left the plaster on them.

Since the plaster is off the laths, either remove them as well and screw the plasterboard to the studs, or re plaster the laths with a base coat and skim.

Morning refreshment for a canine?

[Migue]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I really should have been a bit clearer and given some more information which would have answered the questions above but didn't want to bore everyone with too much information..

1. The room is 1680 wide and the bath is 1700 long. I removed the plaster because every mm counts!

1. I opted to keep the laths on (after some consultation) because a bit along the wall, a new wall has been put in perpendicularly to hide the cold/hot water tanks. Because of this, there is no joist at the far left end and hence nothing to support the new plasterboard (except the lathes). A guy I know who is not a joiner but is good with his hands said it is the worst 'lath work' he has ever seen.

2. Because of the bad state of the laths, i think my origianl idea of putting plasterboard onto the laths is a bad idea.

1. If i just have the wall plastered again, does that mean that I am not going to be able to attach my towel rail onto the new plaster work?

I am thinking of two posssibilities once I have rmeoved the laths. Either put in a new joist at the far left end and somehow secure it onto beams on the roof and floor, or attach some sort of bracket with a lip onto the joist of the perpendicular wall and secure the plasterboard at the far end onto this lip (hope that last bit is clear enough)

cheers, Miguel

John Rumm wrote:

[Chris Bacon]

Make it up with studwork. The look of the laths was irrelevant when they were nailed up, they were supposed to be covered up by an inch or so of lime plaster.

You shouldn't rely on lath to support stuff, do it properly, it's not expensive, or hard, and will give far better results.

[Migue]

Hmmm. Wish I thought of that before. It would be reasonably easy to put in some studs once i have removed the laths. Will just have to be careful not to disrupt the laths on the other side when I try and attach the studs onto the joist 'inside' the wall.

A lot easier than my two ideas i mentioned in my previous post thats for sure

Miguel

Chris Bac> > 2. I opted to keep the laths on (after some consultation) because a

[Alex]

use plasterbord adhesive directly onto the board and press against the lathes,that will even out any difference

[John Rumm]

Simple solution would be to add a stud once the laths are removed. You can skew nail or screw it into place.

No more so than it did before. For the best fixing try and screw into the studs.

Cut the new stud so that it is a snug fit between top and bottom rail. Then nail or screw in place, by driving then into the side of the stud at 45 degrees a couple of inches away from the ends so that the fixinig ends up embedded in the rail as well as the stud (assuming 4x2 studs and

4" fixings here).

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[Migue]

think i was getting studs and joists confused. Ok, so going to put in a new stud vertically, then screw it top and bottom with screws at 45 deg. Sounds quite straight forward.

Thanks for your help

Miguel

John Rumm wrote:

[John Rumm]

Studs are the wood bits in walls, joists are under floors (and in case you ever wondered raftters run up the slope of a roof).

Yup, if you are screwing it then it is better to pre-drill the angled hole in the new stud so that you don't split the end (and it is easier that getting a screw started at an angle!)